Gyonjyan v. Gonzales
Gyonjyan v. Gonzales
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM
Narine and Levon Gyonjyan, natives and citizens of Armenia, petition for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (“BIA”) dismissal of their appeal from an immigration judge’s (“IJ”) denial of their application for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”). We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252. We review for substantial evidence, and will reverse only if the evidence that the petitioner presented was so compelling that no reasonable fact-finder could fail to find the requisite fear of persecution. See Singh v. Ashcroft, 301 F.3d 1109, 1112 (9th Cir. 2002). We deny the petition for review.
Gyonjyan’s asylum claim is premised on alleged persecution on account of her political opinion opposing the alleged embezzlement at her former employer, a state social services agency.
Substantial evidence, however, supports the IJ’s conclusion that Gyonjyan failed to show that her opposition to this alleged corruption was “directed toward a governing institution ... and not only against individuals whose corruption was aberrational.” Grava v. INS, 205 F.3d 1177, 1181 (9th Cir. 2000). The alleged embezzlement Gyonjyan reported at her place of employment is not considered “opposition to a government institution,” but opposition toward specific individuals in the agency where she worked. See id.
PETITION FOR REVIEW DENIED.
This disposition is not appropriate for publication and may not be cited to or by the courts of this circuit except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.